Innholdsfortegnelse for July/August 2021, issue 81-82, Fantastic Fish! i Eco Kids Planet Magazine

Bluefin Tuna Status: ENDANGERED Lives: Atlantic, Pacific and Southern Oceans With a powerful streamlined body, this ocean-going predator is perfectly built for hunting. Tuna chase after schools of smaller fish near the sea’s surface and can dive to a depth of over 900 metres to find squid and crabs deeper down! Bluefins themselves are caught by humans because their tasty flesh is often used to make sushi. But overfishing and illegal fishing has caused a big drop in their numbers. Did You Know? An Atlantic bluefin tuna can weigh up to 680kg – that’s about the same as 11 adult humans! Asian Arowana Status: ENDANGERED Lives: Lakes, swamps and rivers of Southeast Asia. Also called the dragon fish, this tropical freshwater species is the most expensive pet fish in the…

Hello, Eco Kids – Amy here! At first I was petrified at the thought of investigating these scary deep-sea fish… But then I learnt that none of them are actually dangerous to humans! (Hmmm, perhaps because they’re smaller than they appear? Oh, and they don’t come anywhere near us!) They have chilling names such as sawtail, fangtooth and blobfish. Most look more like aliens than fish. Not surprising, given the environment to which they have adapted. Yes, the depths of the ocean are another world! It’s icy-cold and pitch-black, with crushing water pressure. No sunshine reaches this deep. No problem! Because I discovered that many of the fish here make their own light. Some have spine-chilling teeth. Most have HUGE appetites. Feast your eyes on these creeps of the deep……

And don’t forget about me – Rusty! BIRDS CREATE TWO WOODS! Half the trees in two English woodlands were planted by birds! If you saw these great, tree-packed woods in Cambridgeshire, you’d think humans had engineered them. But jays – and possibly grey squirrels – started it all! Jays find acorns very tasty and bury them in the autumn, planning to get them back in winter. Squirrels do the same. They must forget quite a few of them, though! Lots of oak trees grew from the acorns planted in two abandoned fields – and different birds helped them. Thrushes spread seeds of bramble, blackthorn and hawthorn on the fields. These grew into thorny guards to protect the trees! It shows how nature can make itself grow strong again, given the…

(The words in bold in each riddle are clues.) 1 I wonder if you’ve ever heard About a fish more like a bird…? A fish, I hear you ask, that sings? Oh no, although this fish has wings… Across the oceans, watch it rise, A silver-flutter-fish SURPRISE! What am I? 2 Cold-blooded killers Or misunderstood – Rivers and streams Are our favourite ’hood. We like the water Exceedingly warm – When we get frenzied, We kick up a storm! Famous for teeth With a powerful bite – If we’re excited, You may get a fright! What are we? 3 Deeper than deep, Darker than black, Slippery creep, Looking to snack… Colder than cold, No need to pulp, Bolder than bold, Gone in a GULP! What am I? 4 I’m pretty…

If there’s some-fin fishy going on, you can bet underwater wildlife photographer Dr Alex Mustard will be beneath the waves to capture it on camera. Here he answers your questions about working in the ocean realm. Ewan: Do you dive in all weathers? It is nicer and easier when it is warm and sunny, but I will happily go underwater in all conditions – cold, warm, calm, rough, clear or murky. The ocean is powerful, so you need to learn not to fight it, but to work in tune with it. You learn how to time photos with the back and forth sloshing of the waves, and how to ride and duck in and out of currents and eddies to get where you want to be. Esme: How do you…

FIN-TASTIC CROSSWORD Down: 1. The organ in a fish that helps it breathe 2. What are fish scales for? 5. The unwanted fish trapped accidentally in nets while fishing for another fish 6. Destructive, spreading very quickly and harmfully 7. One of the challenging conditions of the deep sea 9. The wild ancestor of goldfish Across: 3. The football fish is part of which famous family of fish? 4. The organ in a fish that helps it float in the water 8. Toxic and dangerous 10. Which fish sleeps in its own slime? WILD QUESTIONS Test your knowledge with these multiple-choice questions. No wild guesses! 1. Which of these fish is the biggest? A. Pondicherry sharkB. FangtoothC. Humpback wrasseD. Blue whale 2. What helps the shark float? A. Swim bladderB.…

Simon: Fish can live almost anywhere that has water. As three quarters of our planet is covered in the wet stuff, they’ll never be short of a home! Charlie: But I can’t breathe underwater, so how could I meet any? I thought I’d have to sit out this special summer issue! Simon: Until I told you that lots of fish can come out of the water. Fish that walk, skip and even dance on dry land! Charlie: So you sent me off to chat with some. First, I went to a mudflat in Africa to meet some… MUDSKIPPERS! Charlie: Hi, you two must be mudskippers. You’re definitely fish – but you’re on land! Mudskipper 1: We spend about 90% of our time here. We curl our bodies sideways, then push…

Firstly, aren’t frogfish fantastic? Look at the leg-like fins they use to ‘walk’ along the ocean floor! They’re masters of disguise, too – but very slow ones. They change colour to match their surroundings, but it can take them weeks! Some look very different. Check out this hairy frogfish! They’re really spines, not hairs. One spine is extra-long and looks like a worm. They dangle it in front of their mouth to attract tiny fish. This saves them from having to creep up on their prey! Sleeping in your own slime Imagine having to snort out a snot blanket to spend the night in. Well, parrotfish ooze out a blanket of slime – called mucus – to sleep in. It takes them about an hour to cover themselves in it.…

If you could pilot a submarine, what would you see? This clever viewer features a scrolling underwater scene! What you need: • A small cardboard box (a mini cereal box is ideal)• Coloured card and paper• Small buttons• Two round, wooden lolly sticks or pencils• Scissors• Sticky tape• Glue• Coloured pens, pencils or paints What to do: 1. Flatten your cardboard box. Cut out a round window. It may help to draw around a small jar or other circular object (ask an adult to help if you find it tricky). 2. Make four small holes – two in the top of the box and two in the bottom at either end. Paint the box and, when dry, add buttons. 3. Cut a strip of blue paper measuring approximately 40cm long.…

Stones and pebbles come in all different shapes, sizes and textures, making them a fun and tactile object to paint on. This month, we’re challenging you to transform your stones and pebbles into sea plants or fish. Will you turn your pebble into a scary piranha? A colourful parrotfish? Or a friendly clownfish? Top Tip Use acrylic paint and markers for the decoration. Once done, allow your pebble to dry, then coat it in clear nail varnish. This will make your artwork waterproof if left outside. FOUR lucky artists will win this fun toy from Waboba®. Waboba Extreme Water Bouncing Ball With so many things up in the air these days, keep life fun and never grow up with high-flying toys from Waboba®! Do you love adventures on the water?…